Clothes-line holder.



N0. 644.,272. Patented Feb. 27, I900.

J. H. BELL.

CLOTHES LINE HOLDER.

(Application filed Dec 21 1898.)

(No Model.)

I m d 1m ilNrTnn STATES PATENT Frrcn.

JOHN H. BELL, OF UTICA, NEW YORK.

CLOTHES-LINE HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,272, dated February 27, 1900. Application filed December 21, 1898. Serial No. 699,912. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN H. BELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Utica, in the county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Line Holders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clothes-line holders; and the object of my improvement is to provide a device of the class described that will be cheap in construction and simple and efficient in operation; and it consists in certain new and useful features of construction, all of which will hereinafter be more fully described and finally embraced in the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout both views.

A represents a base-plate adapted to be secured to the wall B by means of wood-screws O. This base-plate is provided with two forwardly-extending ears D, having holes which register with holes in similar ears formed on the bracket hereinafter mentioned.

Loosely connected with the base-plate is a bracket composed of a base E, provided at one side with a forwardly-extending supportingarm F. The forward portion of this arm has an angular bend G, which terminates in a rearwardly-extending supplemental supporting-arm H. The end portion of this supplemental supporting-arm is located away from the face of the base in order to allow free access to the lever K. This lever is pivotally mounted between the two arms by means of a rivet L and is composed of a metal strip having its longitudinal sides bent upwardly at a right angle to the main or central portion of the strip, thus forming a guard-channel for the line and providing a lever of great strength and lightness. The upper end of one of the side walls of the lever projects beyond the end of the bottom a short distance and is provided with a guard M,which projects laterally therefrom in the plane of the bottom of the opposite side wall, the end of the shorter side wall being cut off at an angle, which causes its upper edge to project past the end of the bottom toward the guard. The guard and projection may be formed by cutting away a portion of the bottom and a portion of one of the sides when the lever is not made from castmetal. By means of these two guards the line is prevented from disengaging the lever, no matter how violent the motion of the line, for the reason that it must be bent at an angle and partially rotated upon its axis to be removed from or placed under the end of the guard M. By means of the rearwardly-extending ears 0 and the bolt P a hinged connection between the base-plate and the bracket is established, permitting the latter'to swing freely in a lateral direction, and thus relieving any strain due to motions of the line.

In operating the device the line is passed between the end portion of the supplemental arm and the face of the base and placed in the channel forming the lever, the line being thereupon inserted in the lateral slot. The weight or pull of the line then causes the upper end of the lever to tilt forward and in so doing clamps the line between the lower end portion of the lever and the base of the bracket. To tighten the line, the free end of the same is pulled down, causing the lower end of the lever to tilt forward, thus releasing the line from the grip. When the desired tension has been obtained, the line is auto matically clamped by slightly slackening the line, permitting the lever to assume its normal tendency, having its upper end tilted forward.

I do not desire to limit myself to the particular construction herein shown and de scribed, as the different details may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. For instance, the lever may be supported by one arm in stead of two. The hinged connection between the base-plate and the bracket may also be of any suitable form.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a clothes-line holder, the combination, with a swiveled bracket, the base of which is provided with a forwardly-extending arm, the forward portion of the arm being bent at an angle and extending rearwardly toward the base of a lever pivotally secured within the bent portion of the arm, one end of which normally lies adjacent to the base, said lever being provided with side Walls to form aohannel for the reception of the rope, one of the walls extending past the upper end of the bottom and being provided at a short distanee in front of the end of the bottom with a laterally-projecting guard which lies in the plane of the bottom, and the upper edge of the other side Wall projecting past the end of the bottom toward said guard.

JOHN H. BELL.

I \Vitnesses:

' JOHN C. F. RIsHEL,

O. J. LUNDSTROM. 

